Let's Go
by To Be A Necessity
Summary: After Katniss hears news of Peeta returning to District 12, she hears the voice of either her father or her imagination. Either way, she listens to his commands, and in the end, it's worth listening to. Romance later on.
1. Chapter 1

The sun woke me from another hideous night of sleeping by myself. Nightmares have been more frequent recently since I heard Greasy Sae tell me that Peeta might be coming back to 12. All those feelings that I had had so long ago—the ones that I thought were lost forever—came back to me in a second, and before long I was escaping to the safety of the forest.

It's been about a year since I've returned home. Peeta had returned with me, but his flashbacks became too frequent for my safety…

But it wasn't me that told on him. Haymitch had walked in on one, one of the nastier ones that I had heard from the safety of my house. Peeta was throwing knives at his paintings, shouting incomprehensive things. It became worse when those pictures were of me and the Quarter Quell. Peeta was then sent to the ruined Capital for assistance, and hopefully better medication. From all I heard, which wasn't much, he wasn't coming back.

My feet can't help but make noise, kicking up leaves behind me. I'm not the quiet, agile hunter I once was. My shooting has become clumsy, my arrows striking animals through the legs or neck. I don't get much money for what I collect now, but it's not like I need more money than I have.

The lake remains the same. The places where Gale and I spent hours together look like it's only been a day since we last hunted together. I heard that Gale was getting married not too long ago. It didn't bother me for Gale to be getting married, but I _missed_ him. If I had fallen for him, I wouldn't be alone today…

Peeta. _That_ was the reason why I hadn't fallen for Gale. I learned to love Peeta more than I thought; I just never got the guts to tell him. And he left, and I was alone.

Maybe Peeta coming back to the district won't be bad. Maybe I'll be able to tell him how I feel, and then what—he'll have another flashback? The old me would be backing away from the idea of him coming back, but my hormones don't agree. I _need _him back; I need to tell him how I feel. I need to see his beautiful blue eyes and his sandy blonde hair. All I can hope for is that he still loves me, and that he's still willing to stay with me through the thick and thin.

I crouch down near the side of the lake, pulling my knees closer to my chest. I'm still so… broken. Would I even be worth fighting for in Peeta's eyes? If Gale could get over me that fast, why wouldn't Peeta be able to?

Tears fall down my cheeks, and I don't have the strength to be the big, strong-willed teenager I am and wipe them off. I'm weak. I'm vulnerable. If anyone sees that by now, they won't care.

_"Don't think like that,"_ I hear, but it's my dad's voice. I've been sent stronger medication for the concerns of my sanity, but I haven't taken them. When the package arrives at my front door I open it, take the pill box and chuck it across the living room. I wonder if they're still there.

_"Why give up now?"_ He asks, and I shake my head.

"I'm hearing things," I whisper to myself, lifting my head up. The sun is just starting to set, and even if I leave for home right now, it'll be really dark out. In a way, I'm terrified of the darkness. I'm afraid that one day it'll overwhelm me and consume me out of the rest of my life. Why don't I just give in, then? I don't like my life, anyways.

_"You may think you're hearing things, but you aren't. Everyone faces difficulties in their life, Katniss,"_ my father says. _"You have gotten by _so_ much your whole life—if you can get past my death, then this shouldn't be a challenge."_

My eyes desperately scan my surroundings, but I see nothing. I'm going crazy. "I'm still grieving," I growl, tears threatening to spill again. "I was _forced_ to move on, and look where that's gotten me—Prim's dead and Mom can't even stand to be near me! I'm too much of a reminder of what she _had_!" I wish I could face him, to show him how much pain I'm in, but I can't. I'm helpless.

"_Go back to your house, Katniss. Do it for me. The one thing I want for you is for you to be happy, and I'm going to make sure that that happens. Now go back to your house and go to sleep."_

I would never do anything for anyone, but my dad was always my weak spot. He was my role model when I grew up, and when he died…

Standing, I nod towards the lake to show my father, or my imagination, that I respect his wish and jog towards my house. I was right—the sky is a dark blue, threatening to turn black, when I reach my front door.

My hand is turning the door knob when my father instructs, _"Stay still,"_. I freeze. Whatever my father commanded me to do when I was younger I would do. There was no other option—not because he forced me to, but because I loved him. I trusted that he knew what was best for me.

My head suddenly turns to my left side, and I see a figure. My heartbeat erratically speeds up and my breath gets stuck in my throat. A familiar person I've known, and cried about, for so long stands beside me.

I barely manage to get out one word under my breath.

"Peeta."


	2. Chapter 2

Peeta doesn't smile at me, but then again, I'm not smiling either. His muscles look slimmer than before and I can see he's been struggling. A weak, half-smile is all that I can do for him before he walks over to me and hugs me tightly.

I'm afraid of what he's capable of doing. If I hug him back, will he get another flashback? I don't want to hurt him.

My hands slowly make their way to his back, where I soothingly brush my hands across his shoulders.

"I've missed you," he says in my hair, and my heartbeat rapidly changes. He's still the same person he was before. My hug becomes tighter than before, and I'm afraid that he'll leave again.

We let each other go after a moment and I open my door. "Come in," I murmur and he gladly obliges. I don't allow myself to think of why he's here; it could be to tell me that he'll never want to see me ever again. That he's moving to another district, like everyone else has done to me.

He turns to me but we stay quiet. I pinch the bridge of my nose as I spat, "Say it."

"Say what?" He asks his eyes wide. I don't normally act rudely to him, since I care about him. But I can't take the silence.

"Tell me that you're never coming back. Just say it."

His eyebrows furrow in confusion. "What are you talking about? I wasn't coming over here to say that."

I give him a dumbfounded look as I look down. "I'm sorry," I mutter, my cheeks becoming overheated. I feel so stupid. "I just can't lose you."

Peeta's blue eyes give me a look over before he moves to the kitchen. "Have you been eating lately?" He asks me. "You look really thin."

I snort. "I've always been on the thinner side," I retort, pulling my arms around my fragile figure. "Sae comes over every morning to make sure I eat, too, so yes, I have been."

He gives me a concerned look as he comes closer to me. I can feel his breath on my skin as I try to keep my eyes on his. "I'm worried about you." He murmurs, lifting a hand to my cheek. "Dr. Aurelius has been telling me that you don't pick up the phone, and Haymitch tells me he hasn't seen you in weeks."

"Yeah, well, that's because he's too drunk to even get out of his own house." I murmur, looking down at the ground. Peeta places a hand underneath my chin and forces me to look him in the eye.

"You know that's not all of it."

"Maybe I just wanted to know you were safe." I quickly respond, and begin to blush. Whenever I'm around Peeta, I always get butterflies in my chest. He's the only boy that knows me well enough to break me if he wants.

Peeta laughs. "So strong, yet so… fragile." He says. He leans closer to my face so that I can only see his blue eyes, but I jump away from his touch when Buttercup meows from the window.

I groan. "Buttercup," I growl under my breath. He lies down on the floor, stretching across the carpet. Every night when Peeta wasn't there for me, Buttercup would actually sleep with me. But, if I got too close, he would hiss at me until I would push him off the bed. It was a mutual relationship, in some kind of way. We both seemed to need someone every once in a while.

I turn to Peeta. "Do you feel better?" I ask him.

He shrugs, taking a seat at the table in the kitchen. I join him when he begins to talk. "They gave me new meds, but it's mostly time that will help with the flashbacks. Dr. Aurelius says that I should try getting out more; he says that I should hang out with you and Haymitch to see if that helps them go away."

I twitch in my seat as I think about it. "As long as it helps you," I reassure him, but I know that it would help me, too. I need him as much as he needs me; he just doesn't know that yet.

Peeta clears his throat and gets up from his seat. "I guess I should be going home, then." He says, and looks reluctantly at the door. I grab onto his arm and he turns to me with a curious expression.

"Maybe you should, uh—should stay here for the night, if that's okay with you? I mean, I _do _have a spare bedroom, and it's not too far from mine so—if you need help I would be there for you." I groan internally to myself as I think how stupid that must sound. How can he not tell that I love him?

Peeta chuckles as he helps me up from my seat. "If you don't mind," he casually replies, and I lead him to the room. He looks around for a moment before turning back to me, dangerously close. "Thank you." He murmurs before going to the bathroom, but I'm still stuck where I am. If only, for one moment I could gather the courage to tell him—maybe I wouldn't be alone ever again. Maybe he still feels the same, and we'd get married…

I jump as I hear the shower turn on and laugh stupidly to myself. It's going to be a long night.

I wake up screaming as my bedroom light turns on. Peeta quickly comes to my aid, cradling me as I begin to sob. I grab onto his shoulders as if it's my only way to survive.

"P—Peeta," I whine as his shirt gets all wet. He repeatedly tries to shush me, calm me down so that I can at least explain to him why I'm all upset. "I—I had a d—dr—dream that you d—died from the m—mutts a—and I c—c—can't—"

"Shh," he calms me, petting my hair as I begin to calm down. "Its okay, Katniss; I'm right here."

"I'm so sorry," I guiltily say to him, rubbing my eyes from all the tears.

"Sorry for what?" He asks, confused. I can't believe I'm even saying this to him.

"That I n—never told you." I begin, but the words aren't coming out. My heart is beating faster than I would think possible, and my throat becomes dry.

"Told me what?" He curiously asks me, his blue eyes sparkling. I shake my head.

"You probably won't wanna hear it," I mutter to him, looking down at my hands.

Peeta kisses my forehead. "I would love to hear _anything_ that's on your mind, Katniss. I'm here for you."

I take a deep, shaky breath in before I begin. "I—I know you think I'm just _pretending_ to be in love with you, but—"

"But?" He urges me, and I know he wants to hear it, but I just can't say it out loud. It feels so unreal for me to be saying this to a boy.

"But I have feelings for you," I tell him. "But I don't know what they are! I don't want to give you the wrong impression because I don't really know how _I_ feel about you. I just don't want you to leave me again."

Peeta hugs me immediately and breathes in deeply. "Its okay, Katniss." He murmurs, giving me a small smile. "Just tell me, when you're ready, how you feel about me. And I'll never leave you. I promise."

With his reassurance, I'm able to fall back asleep.


End file.
